Earthern Irken
by haccat
Summary: Zim's day started out like any other. then everything became... different. Apparently, life can only get stranger. OC fic .original posted on DeviantArt. original title:Zara
1. How it began

It was a cold and rainy day. Zim sat on the couch, glaring at the window. Stupid earth weather. He turned his attention to Gir, who was running in circles, randomly screaming.

"Gir! Your screams are bothering Zim!"

"I understand…" Gir jumped onto the couch and started watching the Angry Monkey show.

"Gir! This human FLITH claiming to be entertainment annoys Zim!" Gir sat there, laughing, completely ignoring his master. Zim got up. He had work to do. "Computer, to the communications room."

"Yes, master." It spat out grumpily. Zim didn't seem to notice the tone.

* * *

Soon Zim was in front of a large monitor, speaking to his leaders.

"My Tallest, my plan to concur the FLITHY hyoomans…"

"Zim, "Purple began, looking over to the other Tallest, "There's something we need to…"

"Zim hasn't finished, my GENEOUSplan involves…"

"This is important, Zim…"

"A giant muffin…"

"Zim, can't you take a hint? We don't like you!" Zim froze, staring at the monitor, antennae drooping. "You're a DEFECTIVE, your mission a fake!" Zim's face couldn't even express the mixture of anger, sadness, and most of all, fear, that he felt. "Just a lie to get you **FAR AWAY FROM US!**" The only thing that would have completed Zim's depressed image would be if there was a storm cloud over his head.

"b-but Gir…"

"No more advanced than a tin can." Purple stated. "We sent you to roam, lost in space, to **DIE. **We never knew there was a planet there." Zim fell to his knees, devastated. "Oh, and one more thing. NEVER call us again. Or else." The transmission cut off.

"M-mastah?" A concerned voice asked. He looked up, wondering how long Gir had been there. "Mastah, why you so sad?" Zim didn't answer. He didn't know what to say. "I'll make yah happy!" Gir shrieked, running away.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Zim sat in a fetal position on the couch, seeming to tune out everything around him, a darker form of himself. Gir and Minimoose tried everything to cheer him up, but nothing seemed to help. The Irken just sat there, as if a mist of darkness blocked out the world around him.

It was quiet. Too quiet. Zim looked around for his minions. He found them in the communications room, to his horror, speaking to the Tallest. "You make master upset." Gir yelled. Minimoose squeaked in agreement. The Tallest had a look of annoyance on their faces.

"G-Gir." Zim said weakly, fear entering his features. Gir turned to him and waved.

"We warned you, Zim." Purple spat. Then the transmission ended. Red lights flashed and an alarm went off. Zim grabbed Gir and Minimoose, and ran.


	2. Trouble

There was a knock at the door. Dib opened it, surprised when Zim burst in, dragging Gir and Minimoose in with him.

"Zim, get out of my house!" Dib yelled. Zim turned, letting go of his minions.

"No."

An argument formed, which turned into a fight. Zim was on his Pak legs, leaning over Dib, clawing at him. Then he stopped. Dib looked over to see what had stopped him. There, in the hall, was a girl starring at them. Both Zim and Dib froze. She just stood there. Then Gaz walked up next to her. Gaz shook her soda and popped the cap, a trail of the fizzy substance landing on them. Zim began rolling on the floor in pain. The girl ran out of sight.

"Who's your friend, Gaz?" Dib asked, a little annoyed at his sister. She just shrugged her shoulders and left. The soda stung Dib's fresh wounds. The girl came back, holding a towel and a first aid kit. She tossed the towel towards Zim as she headed to Dib. She helped bandage his injuries as Zim dried himself off. When this was done, she looked to the couch, finding a crying android. She sat next to Gir.

"What's wrong?" She asked, in a sweet voice.

"Mastah and Dib, f-fighting, and Mastah sad, and h-house go b-boom!" sobbed Gir, tears streaming down his metal face. She lifted the little android onto her lap and hugged him, letting tears go down her back, comforting him. Gir soon calmed down and fell asleep.

"Could someone please explain what exactly is going on?"

After a few tearful hours, the events of what happened with the Tallest were known. Zim was quietly sobbing. The girl rapped her arms around him, much to his surprise, but he didn't pull away. He just let her hold him. She gently stroked his antennae. This helped sooth him. After Zim had finally calmed down, she got up, and checked on the sleeping Gir. Dib stared at the alien.

"Zim?" The Irken turned toward Dib.

"Yes?"

"I-I'm sorry, about earlier, I didn't know…" A roll of thunder interrupted him. Zim turned to the window, a bit of fear showing in his eyes. "I had been a real jerk, I'm sorry."

"You probably thought I came here to shrink your incredibly large head, or something."

"My head's not big!" The girl returned, followed by Gir, who had decided to start singing 'the doom song'. Rain poured outside.

"I think I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Zara."

"Dib."

"I am ZIM!" Zara glanced over at the still singing SIR unit. "Gir, stop annoying the pig-smellies."

Zara giggled at the comment. White cloaked figures burst through the door. Zara turned to face them, arms out stretched at either side. A man stood at the front, "Agent Mothman, we haven't heard from you for some time now, we assumed the worst."

"Darkbooty?" Dib was confused.

"If you touch any of them…" Zara growled, appearing to be ready to pounce on anyone who neared.

"The cameras have been out for a few days, we decided to see what's going on. Hand over the alien." Zara growled threateningly. "Seize it!" The men attacked in rows. The first row fell to the ground after a quick attack from Zara.

"I should warn you, I know every strength and weakness of the human body." She smirked. The next row attacked, only to hit the floor like the first. Before the last of the third row was out, the fourth and fifth advanced with tazers. Zara fell to the floor, and was dragged away as they headed for Zim, who also was soon dragged away. The men took Gir. Darkbooty grabbed Dib's arm. He was coming too.

* * *

Zara awoke on a metal table, not even needing to move to feel her restraints. Zim was nearby, lying on a similar table. Gir was also strapped down. She could make out the silhouetted figure of Darkbooty.

"I'm not scared of an autopsy table." She said, noticing Zim's fear at what he was lying on. Darkbooty just chuckled. "Don't dare lay a hand on any of them."

"I'm not." He said, pushing the shaking figure of Dib towards Zim.

"If you make him do anything…" She started. Dib stood shaking next to Zim, scalpel in hand. Suddenly four metal legs erupted from her back, cutting her restraints, and lifting her into the air. She grabbed Dib's arm and slung him onto her back. Zim ejected his Pak legs, and soon headed for Gir. Fearful employees raced out of the room. The only one remaining was Darkbooty. She had him cornered. She made a single swipe across his face, with a single gloved hand. She turned and headed for the window. Pushing it open, she motioned Zim over, then climbed out the window, Zim followed with Gir clinging to his back. "We should get going; they'll be searching for us." Zara led the way. Search lights scanned the area.


	3. Zara

They stopped at Dib's house. Zara let Dib off her back, and the metal legs soon disappeared from view. They all entered, Gir clinging to Zim's back.

"Stay here, I'll be back soon." Zara said, leaving the room. Dib and Zim sat on the couch. Gir moved, sitting on Zim's lap, hugging him, gentle tears streaming down his metal face. Zim hugged him back, partly to comfort the robot, partly to comfort himself. Soon both of them calmed down. Zara re-entered the room. "Come, they'll search here next, and we don't want to be here when they do." She led them out of the room and into Dib's garage. There she walked up to a ship. Tak's ship. She climbed in. Gir was being really clingy to Zim, but he didn't complain. Zara motioned them to join her. After everyone was in (and a little cramp), she started it up and set coordinates. Switching it to auto-pilot, she seemed a bit more relaxed, "We have a ways to go, and I need to tell you some things."

* * *

My earliest memories start in darkness. My back ached, and a finger gently traces my head.

"A… girl." Said a voice, that of the one holding me. Then the lights turned on, showing me the faces of my parents. The door burst open, an armed figure in the door way. Then he fired. The warm arms holding me went cold and limp. I was soon removed to a place with other children. The image of my parents haunts me still, but it was worst then, when the image was fresh. For 3 weeks, none of the other children came within 5 feet of my depressed form. Even after that, none of them liked me, I was different. I learned to fight when blocking attacks, to climb when being chased away. Sometimes I went to the nurse to be patched up. I learned to observe, to adapt, to survive. Then came the day I ran away. I had my reasons. 1. My people are forced into a heartless military. 2. I was despised by my would-be class mates. 3. If I didn't, I would be dead. I knew the last one when I overheard my leaders talk about 'terminating' me. They said I was too different. If I hadn't left, I wouldn't have lasted long. I went in a random direction, as far as I could. I've lived here ever since, always hiding, always traveling, learning as I went. One day, when hiding in an observatory, I discovered my old home was under another blackout. I never looked back since. Going there would be a death sentence. They would kill me when they saw me. I've been alone so long. One of my parents was a medic, the other an engineer. It was so long ago. I was only a chi…, (sigh), I was only a smeet at the time.

* * *

"A smeet?" Zim asked, realization dawning. Dib was greatly confused. Gir started singing. "The blackouts…" Zim's cheeks grew a dark green.

"I guess you're older than me." Zara giggled. Dib remained confused. Zara noticed. "I'm Irken."

"W-what?!" Dib asked, utterly confused. Gir's singing muted a bit, as he was starting to take interest in the conversation.

"I can prove it, if necessary." She offered, hand reaching for her jacket zipper. Removing the light blue jacket revealed an outfit similar to the one Zim was wearing, as well as a Pak, which looked slightly different. She noticed Zim puzzling over it. "Custom Pak, my parents made it to mimic the real ones, because they couldn't get their hands on the real ones. But then, it also has custom features." She winked. She reached to her hair, suddenly pulling it off, revealing a bald green scalp and two curly antennae. Then, she pounced on Zim, pinning him down as her antennae made contact to his belly.

"Hahahahahaaaahha…" Zim burst, unable to keep in the laughter. Dib was surprised. He didn't know Zim was ticklish.

* * *

Night had fallen hours ago, but Zim could see a glow in the distance. The ship parked in a cave. Zara pulled on her wig, smoothing it out so it looked more natural. Then lifted up the sleeping Gir, gently carrying him in her arms. She used her foot to shake Dib awake.

"Where are we?" Dib asked, yawning as he adjusted his glasses.

"I was just going to say that, Dib-worm." She gave them a glare that instantly stopped the argument. She bundled Gir up in her jacket. She pointed towards the glow in the night.

"Las Vegas, Nevada. I landed around here somewhere when I first came to earth." She held the sleeping android, who almost appeared to be a human baby, other than the fact that his metallic face was visible. "Do you have a disguise?" she asked Zim. The Irken shock his head. "A good reason to go to Vegas. People dress in strange costumes there, and Zim won't have any problem blending in. We can replace disguises and make plans. We won't be able to stay to long." She climbed out, and soon they made their way to the distant glow.


	4. the end of one and the beginning of more

Zara set the wash cloth on the rack to dry, drying her gloved hands at the same time. Exiting the bathroom, she entered the hotel room. Opening her magenta eyes, there was no mistaking that she was Irken. Dib and Gir were asleep, in different beds. Zim sat next to Gir, looking at her. They had been lucky no one had asked questions when getting the room.

"Zim, it's been a long day. Don't tell me you're not tired." She said, sitting in an empty space. She lay down, and slept. Zim lay down his head and closed his eyes. Soon he was fast asleep.

* * *

Gir awoke in a bed, not remembering anything after falling asleep. Zara was up, but Gir didn't recognize her at first. Zim awoke next, followed by Dib. Dib put on his glasses, seeing Zara out of disguise for the first time. On a table, near the center of the room, was a basket of muffins. Zara motioned them to join her at the table. Gir sat across from her, with Zim and Dib at either side. Dib and Gir began to eat breakfast. Zara held a muffin and took a bite, showing Zim it was safe. Soon both also joined the meal. When the meal was finished, Zara headed for the bathroom, preparing for the day ahead. After she was in her disguise, she headed out the door to start shopping. Gir began flipping through channels, stopping when he reached the Angry Monkey show. Minimoose hovered over Gir, taking interest in the show. Dib left, saying something about fresh air. Zim sighed. A lot has happened, most of it just yesterday. The image of being on an autopsy table came back to him. He pushed it away. He didn't want to think about it any time soon.

Zara returned a bit later. She gave something to Gir, who put it in his head. Then she tossed a bag to Zim, Inside was a disguise surprisingly similar to his old one. There was also a second one. Putting the spare in his Pak, he tried it on. Dib entered, and was surprised at seeing Zim's new disguise.

"You don't know how long I was in your neighborhood, do you?" Zara asked. They shook their heads. "Well, I was hiding in Dib's basement for a few days. You'd be surprised how easy it is to hide in all that equipment. When I was there I disabled the security cameras. By accident, I would have fixed it, until I realized what it was…" She blushed a deep green. "So, any ideas of where to go next?" she asked, a serious tune entering her voice as she changed the subject.

"My family has a condo in Florida." Dib suggested.

"Great, we can head out in a couple of days. It can do some good to take time to relax."

* * *

"Are we there yet?" asked Zim, as Gir poked his head.

"No, Zim. It will be a while." Zara replied.

"Why does the Dib get to sit in the front?" Zim said, annoyed by Gir's poking.

"1. He knows where exactly we're going, 2. He knows the custom technologies of the ship, 3. Gir is **your** sir unit." Zim was silent, but still was upset by Gir's excessive poking. Zara turned to face them. "Gir, how about you try on your disguise?" She suggested. Gir pulled it out of his head and began to put it on, giving Zim a break from the torturous poking.

* * *

When they reached Florida, Zara shook Dib awake. He led them to the condo. Soon, Tak's ship was safely in the Garage. There were three bed rooms, a bathroom, a living room, and a kitchen. Zim and Dib took rooms across from each other, and Zara's was in between.

* * *

Zara entered the condo and ran into her room. Dib and Zim were both curious. They went to the door and listened in. There was a scream. Both leaned in, completely interested, not noticing the other.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." Zara said, her voice muffled by the door.

"D-don't take me to t-the bad men." Said a voice. It sounded like a little girl.

"What bad men?"

"From the bad place, t-they hurt me. Bad." Said the girl.

"Why would they do that?"

"T-they say I'm d-different. That I'm n-not h-human." There was a pause. "t-they say that, b-because I'm not human, t-they d-don't h-have to care about m-my pain." There was a short silence. Then a loud scream. Zim and Dib burst through the door. The scream had come from a child sitting on the bed.

"Hey guys." Zara said, sitting next to the little girl. The girl looked between the three of them.

"I know you!" she said, "You're the people in my dream!" there was a confused silence.

"What dream?" Zara asked, taking interest in this.

"In the dream, I wasn't myself. I was the green guy," She motioned to Zim,"and I was in the bad place. And the other guy was next to me, holding a sharp thing. I was on a table-thingy."( by other guy, she was referring to Dib)"and then you came in with metal-things and took the other guy, and the green guy freed himself, and you attacked one of the bad men, and the green guy freed a robot and you all escaped, and then I woke up." After some time of puzzling this over, everything clicked.

"Who exactly are these 'bad men'? And what did they do to you?" Zara asked, concerned.

"I-I don't know, but they hurt me bad. T-they w-wear white a lot." She said. Then she lifted up her shirt, revealing many scars and stitches." They cut me open, and look at me. I-it still hurts."

"Do you remember anything else?"

"I can draw a pic-a-ture of stuff." She said. Zara gave her a pencil and paper. The child began to draw. At first it was hard to tell what it was, but when she was done, it was unmistakable. A swollen eyeball insignia. "This w-was on lots of stuff at the b-bad place."


	5. Victoria

"Poor child."Zara said, looking over at the girl. They were in the kitchen. The girl was eating toast. She turned to the child. "how long were you there?"

"Since I w-was little. I escaped recently. Then I had the dream. I-it really happened, d-didn't it?" the girl asked. Zara nodded. The girl put down her toast, got up, and soon had her arms around a startled Zim. "I-it's okay to be scared, sometimes." Then she pulled of his wig, and stroked his antennae, surprising him even more. But also soothing him, and he let out a soft purr. Dib laugher. Zim shot him an angry look. The girl smiled, as two antennae arose from her black hair.

"A-a hybrid." Zara whispered. There was a silence, and then Gir walked in.

"Can we have tacos?"

"w-what's a taco?"

* * *

As the girl and Gir watched TV, Zara carefully pulled a hair from her head. The girl was having too much fun to notice. Then she rejoined the others in the kitchen.

"What's that for?" Dib asked, beating Zim to the question.

"It's just hair, but it will prove if my theory is correct."

"And if it is?" Zim questioned.

"Then we're looking at the rarest hybrid you could ever dream of, an Irken-human."

* * *

Zara did some tests on the hair sample. When she was finished, she checked on the child. Soon the girl headed to Zara's room.

"What are the results?" Zim asked.

"At the moment, inconclusive. The results will be ready in the morning. Good night, Zim."

* * *

Sunlight bled in through the window. "Wake up, sleepy head." Zara called from the door. "Aren't you interested in what the results may be?" Dib sat up, and got ready for the day.

Soon, he joined Zim, Zara, Gir, and the little girl in the kitchen. "What's your name?" Zara asked the child.

"The b-bad men called me experiment 17390276, but I p-prefer Victoria. Victoria Faith."

"Why Victoria?" Dib asked.

"b-because, it sounds like victory." Zim seemed to like that answer."And the b-bad men thought of it as a victory to have me, so when I escaped, not only was the pain gonna s-stop, it would be a g-great loss to them. A victory for me." Zara prepared breakfast. After they ate, she sent Gir and Victoria to play.

"Victoria is a hybrid. Her DNA is a mixture of Irken and human, about 50/50 or so. Because of this, she is in great danger." Dib was surprised. What danger? Zim also seemed puzzled. Zara caught the looks. "Irken are raised NOT TO HAVE EMOTION, with the exceptions of loyalty to the empire and hate. My story is a rare one, but she's in more trouble than me. If they found out about her…"

"I see. But how would they find out?"

"Yes, the likeliness of the danger is little. Even so, it doesn't change what it would be." Then she whispered, "Immediate Termination."

* * *

At the beach, Victoria and Gir played in the sand. Dib watched them. Zara comforted a nervous Zim. Everything was going as expected, until…

"What's t-that?" Victoria asked, pointing away from the water. It seemed like a white fog. It was closing in on them. It was no fog. They were cornered. The SEN. A small group of cloaked figures circled Victoria. Darkbooty came to the front of the crowd. There was a scar on his face. She screamed, but it wasn't a scream of fear, it was of anger. She ran at him, breaking through the circle. When she reached him, she fainted, and was caught in his arms. She was soon carried away.

"We came for experiment 17390276, but since you're here….. Get them!" the men advanced. Pak legs came from Zara's back.

"The first time I just knocked them out, I can do much more than that." She warned. The men stopped, thinking about it. The tips of the Pak legs were very sharp. They pulled out tazers. Zim looked around. Had someone called his name?

"Victoria?" He whispered. Zara was confused at Zim's behavior. Victoria had been dragged away. Dib panicked a bit. Gir seemed oblivious of the threat, playing in the sand. The armed men came closer, and Zim fell to the ground. Gir began to realize what was going on. He saw his master, for the second time, being dragged away by the men. He ran after, knocking over those he passed. He was soon captured. Zara looked over at Dib, who was panicking. Then she fell, electrical shock running through her.

"Zara!"

* * *

Zara awoke in a glass cylinder. Looking around, she saw Zim in a similar container. He seemed to be on the verge of consciousness. Victoria was on a table, asleep. Cloaked figures roamed the spacious room. A figure leaned over Victoria, in a curious and protective manner. One of the other men whispered something to him. He turned to Zara and she could make out a scar on his face. Darkbooty.

"Your friends will be waking up soon." He said jestering to Zim, and to the other side of her, Dib, who was asleep on another table. She searched the room carefully and found Gir, in the same state. Then her eyes turned back to Victoria. She lifted her head and winked, then lay back down. Darkbooty went to (as it appeared) check some equipment. His back was turned. Victoria's hand grabbed a nearby tool, and tossed it, hitting a button. The glass of the two containers lifted. Zim got to his feet and began to free Victoria. What was going on? She went to help the still sleeping Dib, glad to be free of the glass.

Darkbooty turned to find Zara carrying the unconscious Dib while on Pak legs, Victoria standing on the table holding a scalpel, and Zim next to her. The cloaked figures soon surrounded the small group.

"You thought you could escape?" Darkbooty asked.

"I did the first try, and so did they." Victoria stated, confidence building in self as much as in her voice.

"Luck, that was all that was." He said.

"No it wasn't." she replied, "I KNEW the way out, because of a dream."

"What are you talking about 17390276?"

"The name's Victoria Faith." Something in the name seemed to mean something to Darkbooty. It showed in his face. "And what I'm talking about is that I knew all the exit codes." Then she whispered, "My dreams aren't normal." Dib seemed to be waking up. Victoria yelled, "You may be a great scientist, but you're not a great father!" This statement surprised Zara, Zim, and now fully awake Dib. A pained LOOK SEEMED TO COME TO Darkbooty's face. He opened his mouth, but closed it again, apparently not knowing what to say. So Victoria kept talking. "I know you dream about her every night. I've experienced half of them, at least. I know you haven't changed the security codes. I remember EVERYTHING since I was two months old." She stopped for a second, letting it sink in, and continued, "I know I have antennae, and that I wasn't born with them. I know I've been an experiment for most of my life because of an accident. I know I'm a mutant." This surprised everyone a lot. Darkbooty looked like he was about to cry. "I've known pain every day after that accident. It had changed me, but one change I didn't even notice was my dreams. They took me into people's head's, awake or asleep, day or night. I could see and hear everything they could. In one dream someone helped learn my powers, but I didn't know exactly if it was real or not. Until today." There was silence. Then Gir woke up.

"Mastah, mastah!" He cried. Zim, on his Pak legs, hurried over and freed him from his restraints. Gir clung to Zim, who didn't complain. Victoria continued.

"I know what had happened, that I had been injected with a blood sample, that it altered my DNA. I knew all this before, but now I know it's true." She got off the table, and walked to the door, entering a code. It opened. "A-are you guys c-coming or not?"

* * *

"What was all that about?" Dib asked, confused.

"I h-have family problems." Victoria replied, brushing her fingers through her hair.

"Who is the 'her' in Darkbooty's dreams?"

"My m-mother." She sighed. "I k-know this b-because of my d-dreams." Then she smiled."N-no one really t-tells me anything. L-like how **s-someone** was s-staying up all n-night processing DNA." Zara blushed at the comment. "I can e-explain m-more later."

* * *

When I was a baby, my father worked as a paranormal investigator. He was testing blood samples. I, not knowing any better, had been playing with one. It was a fresh one, just barely taken. The needle poked my arm, and soon the sample was in my blood. I was a little less than two months. The next day, my memory improved. The next I was walking, the next talking. And then the day came when I woke up with antennae. My father did a few simple tests, and I've been experiment 17390276 ever since. Every day, the same old, painful routine. Wake up, eat, begin tests, finish tests, lunch, more tests, go to sleep. And every night, a dream. At first, ones about my mother, some about random things, some about reunions, most about times of happiness and hardship. The first dream I had that was different had a strange woman, but she was familiar, in a way. She taught me about my powers. She would always call me Faith. The next dream different was of a staff member, from their eyes, exiting the building, entering codes and stuff. The most recent dreams involve a green skinned alien with antennae. One dream from a table in a lab, another one a sandy beach, one or two in another dream, one from closed eyes faking sleep. The blood sample I was injected with was alien. And it changed me inside.

* * *

"It's okay to be scared, sometimes. But n-not every day for y-years on end. That's w-why I left. That and the pain. The h-horrible pain."

"I guess the moral of the story is, don't let a human baby play with a syringe full of Irken blood."

"I wonder, how did the SEN find us?"

"T-there's a tracking c-chip somewhere inside m-me. It was p-put in during one of the f-first times they opened m-me up. I d-don't remember where it is. T-the pain hurt w-worst the first times."

"Do- Do-Doom- do, do-doo-doom-doomy-ddddoooooommmmmm…"

"Gir! Zim commands that you stop singing!"

"We are all so different, yet so the same."

"Tacos!"

"It's g-getting close to l-lunch time, isn't it?"

"Why are we walking in the dark anyway?"

"S-secret passage, l-leads just off the coast."

"That and the closest thing we have to a flashlight is Gir."

"Right."


	6. The End?

A few minutes later, they arrived at the coast. Nearby was a taco stand. Gir ran for it, followed by Victoria, Zim, Dib, and Zara. Victoria grabbed Gir's arm, and tried to stop him. Gir had been screaming about tacos. He kept pulling away, trying all him could to reach the stand. Victoria's grip weakened, and Gir raced on, jumping on the panicking taco stand guy. Gir began munching on a taco. After getting Gir away from the taco stand, Victoria led the way (mostly because she was the only one who knew the way).

It didn't take long for them to reach the condo, and they were soon enjoying lunch. The doorbell rang. Zara got up to answer it. A (slightly) gothic girl with purple hair pushed her way in, not even looking up from her game. The girl walked into the kitchen, Zara closely behind. Zim was the first to see her.

"The Dib-sister?" Dib turned to see who it was.

"Gaz, what are you doing here?"

"Dad said I can't go to Bloaty's without you."

"You came to Florida for pizza?" Gaz grabbed him and started dragging him behind her.

"I would take that as a yes." Zara said."And I think she would be interested in taking the fastest way possible."

"w-wouldn't that be in the g-garage?" Victoria asked.

"1. Yes, 2. How did you know that?"

"You k-know how."

"What are you talking about?" Gaz asked.

"A s-ship in the g-garage." Victoria said, walking to the door. Opening it, she walked in. Gaz, dragging Dib along, followed her. Zara followed them, Gir followed her, and Zim followed Gir. Soon, all of them were in the ship. Victoria, Gir, and Zim in the back, Zara, Dib, and Gaz in the front. Soon they were flying. Victoria fell asleep, only to wake up less than a minute later. "T-that was f-frightening, I w-will never try t-that again."

"What are you talking about?"

"L-let's just say, n-never go into G-Gaz's head. Ever."

* * *

They landed at Dib's house. Gaz took Dib and went to Bloaty's, leaving Zara, Victoria, Zim, and Gir behind. Zara walked down the street. No one followed. Then all of them did. They soon arrived at a pile of rubble in between two apartment buildings. The remains of Zim's base. Something shifted in the rubble. Then an Irken popped out. "Skoodge?"


	7. smeet

Zim headed to the door, about to leave for Skool. It had taken a month, but Zim's base was back to its normal self again. Well, almost. Not all of the external (or internal) security measures functioning. That, and the fact that Zara and Victoria lived there too. But, if it hadn't been for them, it would have taken much longer to get the base remotely functional. Zara had been able to repair many of the broken technologies, including the computer, in only a few weeks. Victoria had kept Gir distracted, so he wouldn't distract from the work or cause any damage. Zim opened the door, finding, to his surprise, a smeet on the porch. Zim stared at it. The smeet was sleeping, wrapped in a blanket that had the Irken insignia on it. Zara, seemingly from nowhere, stepped up behind him, and spotted the smeet. She picked it up.

"Who would leave this little guy here? Why?" she asked, walking back inside, not seeming to need the answer. Zim went on with his day.

* * *

"Today's doomful lesson is about how doomed the British were in the revolutionary war." Ms. Bitters said. The telephone on her desk rang. She picked up. "Yes." She said. The phone disappeared into the desk. "Class, I would like to introduce the newest doomed student to join the class..." Dib and Zim listened intently. The words 'new' and 'student' in the same sentence seemed to make both of them edgy. A silhouetted figure stood outside the door. The door opened as the teacher finished her sentence. "Zara." It surprised both when they say the girl enter class.

"Where do I sit, Ms. Bitters?" the teacher's menacing eyes scanned the room.

"You." She said, pointing to the kid that sat behind dib. "You're being transferred to the underground classroom." The child screamed as his sent him to his doom. It soon reappeared, empty. Zara quickly sat down, taking to the fact that it would be a bad idea to anger her. Ms. Bitters soon continued to drone on about her lesson.

* * *

"what are you doing here? Who's watching the base?!" zim asked. It was lunch. Zara sat across from him.

"relax, i took care of it."

"what about gir, or victoria?" just as zim was asking the question, the child sat down next to him. He was about to continue his little rant when zara interupted.

"how was your day so far?" she asked victoria.

"good. Have you n-noticed much t-the word skool sounds l-like skull?"

"i don't think i have." The conversation continued, with comments friom zim, most of which where ignored. It went on like this for most of lunch. Zara excused herself and exitted the caffratira. She walked down the hall. At a seemingly random moment, she turned around to find dib, who seemed to have been following her.

"what are you doing here? What is zim planing?"

"zim is just as surprised about me being here as you, dib. And as far as i know, he isn't planning anything."

"why should i trust you?" there was a loud crying, screaming sound. Zara ran to her locker, and opened it. An irken smeet lay there, crying. She lifted up the smeet and placed a binky in it's mouth. It quieted. But the sound didn't stop. She lookede down the hall. Dib was fiddling with something in his locker. Zara held the sleeping smeet close and approached him. The sound seemed to be coming from the locker. Zara was right next to dib when the sound stoppped. Dib was surprised when she pushed past him, to see what was in the locker. She saw a smeet, sleeping. She could faintly make out it's eyelashes. She backed away, and turned to him.

"where did you find that smeet?" she asked. Dib was confused.

"what's a smeet?"

* * *

After explaining to dib what a smeet was, he asked why she cared to know where he got it. Zara reveiled the face of the smeet she was carrrying. Dib blinked in surprise. Then the bell rang.


	8. Deal

After Skool was out, Zara puzzled over the smeet. Zim was lost in thought about his base. Victoria skipped ahead, as if she didn't have a care in the world. Soon Zim and Zara were in the base. Victoria had skipped somewhere else.

* * *

Upon entry of the base, Zim looked around. Everything was as it should be. Gir got up from his spot, circled Zim, and sat back down. That was weird. Zara sat on the couch. She placed the smeet next to her. It was waking up.

"What's your name, little smeet?" she asked.

"Jau." Said the smeet, as a hand broke through the bundle.

* * *

Meanwhile, Victoria rang the doorbell. Dib answered the door.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"T-to make a c-call." Dib seemed confused. So he let her in. she saw Gaz playing video games. Victoria headed to the stairs.

"The phone's in the kitchen." Dib said. She looked at him. Then went up the stairs. He followed. "Who are you calling?" Victoria stopped.

"My father." She replied. Then she continued, walking down the hall, and entered Dib's room. She sat at the computer. Dib took a sleeping smeet out of the room. He sat outside the door. This would be interesting.

* * *

The silhouetted form of Darkbooty appeared on the screen. He seemed surprised to find Victoria was the caller.

"We n-need to talk." She said.

"What about?"

"I k-know your tracking me d-down to take me back to a t-testing facility."

"The reason for this call would be..."

"A deal. You d-don't force me b-back to the facility, I dos-some sort of check-in thing every s-so often." He seemed to ponder about it.

"And if I don't agree?"

"I c-can live constantly on t-the run." He seemed to be calculating. It was a bit difficult to tell. "Agreed?"

"Agreed."

* * *

Victoria left the room to find that Dib had been listening in. She went into the living room to find a smeet was sitting next to Gaz, watching intently at the screen of the hand-held device. Victoria exited the building.

"Can I try?" the smeet asked Gaz, who just noticed the smeet was there. She let the smeet try. Three levels later, Gaz took back the game.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Sai."

* * *

Victoria entered Zim's base to find a smeet hanging from the cords on the ceiling. She stared. He stared back. The smeet fell, and was caught by Zara. Victoria lay down. There were a few things she needed to check.


	9. hugs

Zim, Zara, Jau, and Victoria were out for a walk. Zara didn't know why Zim insisted on taking a walk in the forest. It was almost as if the idea was implanted in his mind. They reached a clearing. On the other side of it, Dib broke through the foliage. Gaz and Sai were with him.

"Sai!" Jau called.

"Jau!" she replied.

The two smeets ran at each other. They met in the center of the clearing, and hugged each other. Victoria smiled.

"What are you doing here, Zim?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Dib-worm."

"Your b-both here b-because of me." They turned to Victoria, confused. She looked at the still hugging smeets. "I w-was curious." They continued to be confused, but for Zara, it clicked.

"You clever child, you?" she said, patting Victoria gently on the head. Something seemed to dawn on Gaz. Zim and Dib didn't seem to get it. Victoria decided to give them a hint.

"Dib, h-how long has t-there been a dimension p-place in your head?" Dib confused by this question. Then he remembered. Halloween. He wrapped his arms protectively around his head. Zim would have laughed at this, but he, too, remembered that Halloween night. A shiver went down his back. How could she know about that place?

"This was a setup!" The accusation seemed to get the attention of the smeets.

* * *

Soon, Gaz dragged away Dib and Sai, saying something about getting home before dark. Zim, Zara, Jau, and Victoria were leaving when she heard a sound. She stopped. The others continued without her. Before long, she was alone. Or was she? Again she heard something. She turned to spot a figure appearing from the foliage.

"W-why are you here?"

"Not to take you back, if that was what you were wondering." She sat on the ground. She hadn't expected that answer. Not entirely. A hand gripped her shoulder. But it didn't scare her. It was... comforting. She looked up at her father.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you come here?" He didn't seem to have an answer. She looked away. "Victoria..." She looked back. Had he really just called her by her name? "I...I'm sorry." This took her a bit by surprise.

"Sorry doesn't change what happened; it doesn't take away the pain.

"I know." There was a pause. "But I wish it could." A tear streamed down her face.

"Father..." She whispered, as she embraced him. The moment was a bit awkward for both of them. But the hug lasted a few minutes.

* * *

Zara entered the base. She went to the labs. Zim sat on the couch. Gir sat on one side, Jau on the other. No one noticed Victoria was gone until she returned later. Zara came up, took a blood sample from Jau, and returned to the labs. Processing DNA could take up a lot of time. Even with only two samples. Unless you had high- tech equipment. Which they did.


	10. who?

The next day, Gir insisted that they went to 'Bloaty's pizza hog'. Finally, Zim allowed it. It wasn't long before they reached the restaurant. Zara led the way through it. Before sitting down at a table, Zim made eye contact with someone from the next booth. Dib.

"What are you doing here, Dib-worm?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Zim."

"D-do you know h-how Jau and Sai know each other?" Victoria asked. Dib shook his head. "Do you w-want to?"

"Do you know?" Dib asked, surprised. What didn't she know?

"Well, n-not exactly. It's not l-like I know everything, or s-something. But Zara k-knows." Whatever attention Gaz didn't have in her game right then went to Zara.

"Twins." She whispered, looking between the two smeets. Zim was surprised.

"I didn't even know that was possible!"

* * *

After Gir ate two whole pizzas on his own, Zim decided it was time to go. As they left, Victoria snuck into the forest. There was something she needed to do.

* * *

That night, Victoria had a dream. Well, less of a dream, more like a visitation. She stood in a valley of white. There was a woman there, wearing white clothing.

"Hello, Victoria." The woman said. Victoria recognized her, from somewhere. "You seem to be getting along with your father."

"You're the person who helped me learn my powers!"

"Yes, Victoria, I am."

"You used to call me Faith. Why?"

"It was the only name I knew you by."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I must get going now; tell your father I miss him."

"Who are you?" But the woman didn't seem to hear her, as she disappeared, and Victoria awoke.


	11. family

Zara sat in the hall. There was no one to be seen. She pulled a framed picture out of her Pak. It was of two Irkens. Her parents.

"What's that?" Zara was surprised to see Gir, especially at this time of night. The picture slipped from her hands, but she quickly caught it.

"It's a picture, Gir. What are you doing up?" He had a sad look in his eyes. "A nightmare?" She guessed. Gir nodded. "I think Zim is upstairs, on the main level." Gir walked past, and entered the elevator. Zara looked back at the picture. She saw something. Carefully, she pulled out a piece of paper. A note from her parents. She read it. Some of what was written greatly surprised her. She had uncles?

* * *

Dear Smeet,

The likeliness of your father and I living much longer than your birth is minimal. We give you what we think you may need in your Pak, including a picture of when we first met. I was a student for a medical class; your father was a young engineer. I have confidence your birth will be successful. I recently had the experience of helping my own mother give birth to a pair of twin boys. Not that recently, but I still believe your birth will be a successful one. We love you, remember that. Even though we may never know you, we still love you.

From,

Your loving mother,

Medic Lexan

* * *

Victoria sat in a clearing. Her father sat behind her, brushing his fingers through her hair. It seemed to have a soothing affect on her, but he didn't know why. She explained.

"W-when you brush through my hair, your h-hands rub against my antennae in a s-soothing way." The explanation didn't help, but that didn't matter. What mattered was their time together. Two fighting figures rolled out of the bushes. "Zim? Dib?" They looked up, frozen in mid-combat. They seemed to be trying to understand what they had stumbled into. Dib stood up. A mixture of anger and concern mixed in his eyes.

"Get away from her." There was silence. No one moved. There was a rustle in the bushes behind Victoria. "Get away from her!" Dib repeated. Suddenly, Zara sprung from the bushes, Pak legs giving her an extra boost5, as she leapt over Victoria and her father, and landed between them and Dib. Zim was still on the ground, not knowing what to do.

"Go home, Dib." She had a defensive look about her. He was confused, but decided not to go against her. She helped Zim to his feet. The three of them left.

* * *

Sometimes, Victoria would visit her father's dreams. He usually dreamed about her mother. That night was no exception. She watched as the dream unfolded. He was dancing with her mother, who wore a white spring dress. It seemed to remind her of something. The woman. But it couldn't be. Her mother was died.


	12. surprise

Dib walked through the forest, looking at the screen of his lap top. He was tracking an object that would crash into the Earth. Gaz and Sai followed him. They entered a clearing. On the other side, there was a rustle in a bush as Zim entered. Zara, Victoria, and Jau followed behind. Zim was holding a hand-held device. He put it in his Pak. Then, he noticed Dib. Gaz noticed the group and pointed it out to Dib. Before either could speak, Zara pointed to the sky, where a large vessel was approaching. Then she pointed to a set of hugging smeets.

"Hold still!" she called to them. Then the ship landed. The smeets were trapped between for large rocket engines. "Stay near the center!" A ramp lowered from the vehicle, blocking the smeets from view. Gaz marched up it. An Irken appeared out of the vessel. Gaz punched her.

"Ow!"

"Tak?" Looking over, the Irken was surprised to see Zim.

"Zim? But… you DIED!"

"Rumor spreads among Irken's like wild fire, apparently. No matter how inaccurate it is." Tak stormed back into the ship. The fact that Zim was alive seemed to be the only thing she could do. Gaz jumped off the ramp as it ascended into the vehicle. The smeets could be seen once more. "Stay near the center." Zara called, as the ship took off. Everything was silent. Then there was a cough, and two pairs of Irken eyes looked at them. Dib let out a sigh of relief. They approached the smeets. Gaz and Zim were the first to arrive, and hugged the smeets close.

* * *

**AN: **I'd just like to remind everyone the Tak thinks (or at least thought) that Zim defeated her single-handed. She was not aware that Dib or Gaz (with Gir) contibuted to her fail-er. also, **Dramtic Irony- when the audience knows something that (a) character(s) don't.**

**Also, ** thanks to Nicky0 and impmon fan girl for comments, and Invader-Kat7 for Alerts. That is all


	13. plans

Dib opened the door to find Zara and Zim. He decided to let them in. Zara walked into another room.

"I need to talk to Gaz for a bit. It shouldn't take long." Zim sat on the floor. Lightning flashed outside, and it began to rain. A look of fear came in his eyes. Dib realized Zim must have been through a lot, starting not too long ago. And it seemed to be taking its toll on the alien. He felt sorry for Zim. Another flash of lightening made the Irken shiver. Dib approached him, and did the first comforting thing that came to his mind. Which was hugging Zim. It surprised him, But Zim didn't push away. At every flash of lightening, he came a little bit closer.

"You do know the cameras are still recording, right?" They instantly pushed away from each other as they turned to Zara, surprised by her sudden remark. "Even though the footage isn't going anywhere, the camera's still recording." She said, pointing to a camera in the corner of the room. Both faintly blushed. "Why not talk about something you may find of more importance..." The dissuasion continued long after the rain had stopped.

* * *

Before class began, Zara gave Dib a note. Ms. Bitters' taught her usually doom-related lesson, as he began to read.

Collect as much water and meat as you can. The plan initiates in a week.

Later, at lunch, Zara poured Zim's lunch into a paper bag, which she tied neatly and placed in her Pak.

"W-why are you g-going through with t-this plan?" Victoria asked.

"I expected you would hear about it."

"I g-guess I understand w-why, but r-revenge?"

"I don't take the things that have happened personally, but those around me do, and would go through with it anyway, so I may as well go along with them."

"It's a g-great risk, t-this plan."

"Nothing else would be enough to them."

"B-but going against your l-leaders?"

"They never were MY leaders. I had never pledged to them. They had gained the position after I had left."

* * *

**AN: **ZADF. that is all.


	14. attacked

"Where is Victoria?" Zim asked, wandering through the base.

"She has new living arrangements." Zara replied.

"Does it have anything to do with that FLITHY human parental unit?"

"If you mean her father, then yes. And before you say anything else, I'll tell you that she made the choice from her own free will."

"Eh?"

"In other words, she wasn't forced to go, she chose to."

"Why?"

"I can't explain it. Maybe one day you'll understand. Probably not, but still."

* * *

Victoria awoke suddenly. A figure in black stood by the door, holding a knife. Her father was on the floor, possibly groaning. Fear and worry entered her eyes. Her antennae flew up from her head, she was too afraid to keep them down. The figure saw the antennae, panicked, and left the room. She went to her father, sitting beside him. Blood pooling on the floor. She needed to get help. Fast.

* * *

Zara awoke with a most unusual urge. She quickly got up, and ran into the night. The urging seemed desperate, in a way that made her realize it hadn't originated from her own mind. This made her go faster, using her Pak legs to cover more ground. She soon arrived at an ordinary looking house. The front door lay ajar, with whatever security locks that had been in place broken. She entered. Heading upstairs, she encountered a man dressed entirely in black, with a ski mask over his head. Her Pak legs pointed to him, and she hissed. The man groped a large bag, running out of the house. She continued into a room, where she found Victoria, sitting on the floor next to a bleeding man, silent tears in her eyes. It took Zara a moment to recognize the man as Victoria's father. A large stab wound pierced at his abdomen. Zara quickly set to work. It was a good thing she always kept medical supplies in her Pak.

* * *

"T-thank you." Victoria whispered, giving Zara a quick hug before returning her attention to her father. They had moved him to a nearby bed.

"Remember to change the bandages daily. He should wake up tomorrow, no later than noon." Zara began to leave. They had cleaned the floor, so she didn't trip or anything (not like she would've, it was carpet!). "By the way," she stopped in the doorway, "How did you 'summon' me if you're eyes were open?"

"Day dreaming, not as powerful as dreaming, but it's still useful. How did you know my eyes were open?

"Your eyes seemed like they wouldn't look away from your father. That and the urge to come here lingered until you realized I was in the room." Zara left. On her way out, she repaired the security locks.

* * *

Victoria heard a moan. It was a little before noon. She stored the grill cheese she just made in the microwave, and raced upstairs. Her father was waking up.


	15. setting plans

"So, why was Victoria absent from Skool?" Dib asked. It was long past dark. He and Gaz had come to Zim's base in Tak's ship. They were on the couch.

"Why would Zim know?"

"Doesn't she live here?"

"Actually," Zara stepped in, "She doesn't, and she had her reasons to stay home."

"Like what? Where is she?!"

"I can explain later. Right now we need to get down to business." She headed for the door."We need to load the Voot with the necessary supplies."

* * *

Before splitting into groups and setting off, Zara handed Dib and Gaz little bundles.

"Disguises and instructions." She explained. She looked to the couch to see two smeets sleeping, and Gir watching TV. "Zim, you and Gaz take the Voot. Dib, you're with me."Before leaving, she slide open a panel in the wall. Inside was a key-pad. She entered a code and slid the panel back in place. Then she went outside.

* * *

Zara set the ship to auto pilot. Dib began fiddling with the bundle. They had left Earth's atmosphere not long before. Zara removed her disguise. Dib seemed to be struggling with how to put his on.

"You start with the contacts. Hand me your glasses." He did, and she placed his contacts in. Before long, his disguise was complete. Almost. Zara opened a container labeled 'stage makeup '. She gently spread it over his exposed skin, which was mainly just his head. Dib looked over his disguise.

"I look ridiculous." He sort of had a point. Fake antennae attached to a headband, contacts, gloves, a fake Pak with straps, and 'stage makeup' didn't seem like it would cut it for him. Then he realized, Zara was still holding his glasses "Wait a sec, how..."

"Do you see so well? The contacts improve the wearer's eyesight."

"I have 20/20 vision?"

"More like 30/30, as long as you're wearing the contacts. Now read the instructions, there are some more complex parts of the disguise you need to get used to."


End file.
